Oacoma cattleman to lead SD Beef Industry Council

November 13, 2009

Pierre Ð A new slate of officers stepped into leadership positions with the South Dakota Beef Industry Council following elections at the organization's annual meeting in Brookings. The SDBIC administers the $1 Beef Checkoff on cattle sold in South Dakota. Checkoff dollars are utilized strictly for promotion, education or research programs. Fifty cents of every dollar is directed to the Cattlemen's Beef Board for programs on the national level. The SDBIC retains 50 cents, which is invested in additional national programs or in-state programs. Merrill Karlen of Oacoma was selected as SDBIC President, following two terms as vice president. Karlen has been a director on the SDBIC since 2003, representing South Dakota Cattlemen's Association. Karlen also holds a director position on the Cattlemen's Beef Board and is a director on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee. The Beef Promotion Operating Committee is defined in the Beef Act as the body responsible for developing the annual budget, which must be approved by the full Beef Board and USDA, and for developing plans and programs in the areas of promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications. The Operating Committee includes 10 producers elected by the Cattlemen's Beef Board and 10 producers elected by the Federation of State Beef Councils. The Act and Order requires that the Operating Committee contract with national, non-profit, industry-governed organizations to implement checkoff programs. South Dakota beef producer Ed Blair of Vale will serve as SDBIC Vice President representing South Dakota Farm Bureau. Blair has been active on the SDBIC since 1995. He has served in numerous positions on state and national beef industry boards including the SDBIC Executive, Budget and Research Committees. In 2003, Blair was appointed as a director with the Cattlemen's Beef Board, acting as chairman and vice chairman of both the International Marketing Committee and CBB Audit Committee. Blair is also a former director on the U.S. Meat Export Federation representing South Dakota beef producers. USMEF is a trade association in the meat and livestock industry. USMEF represents beef/veal producers and feeders, pork producers and feeders, lamb producers and feeders, packers and processors, purveyors and traders, oilseeds producers, feedgrains producers, farm organizations and supply and service organizations. The mission of USMEF is “to increase the value and profitability of the U.S. beef, pork, and lamb industries by enhancing demand for their products in export markets through a dynamic partnership of all stakeholders.” John Symens, of Amherst was selected as SDBIC Treasurer, a position he's held since 2007. Symens was also re-elected to represent South Dakota on the U.S. Meat Export Federation. A cow-calf producer representing South Dakota Beef Breeds Council, Symens has been a SDBIC Director since 2001. The SDBIC reappointed Becky Walth of Glenham to the Federation of State Beef Councils. As a SDBIC director since 2001 representing SD Cattlemen's Association, Walth has been active in her national position since 2002. She was chair of the NCBA Human Nutrition Research Committee and co-chair of the NCBA Nominating Committee. Walth currently sits on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee representing the Federation of State Beef Councils. The next meeting of the SDBIC will be Dec. 17, 2009 in Pierre.